Keep On Progging!
by RichardIII1955
Summary: We follow the classic period of the Genesis Gang with Peter Gabriel, Tony Banks, Mike Rutherford, Steve Hackett and Phil Collins on their wacky adventures in the music business! Tensions are high and arguments are long but it's all about the music that matters! Right?...
1. Peter's Fox Mask

_Hello, everyone! This is Richard and welcome to my new story! It's a bit different to my normal work, but I hope that the hard core Genesis fans get my drift!_

_Basically, I have taken the hit band Genesis from their classical prog rock period of 1970-75, and have placed them in modern day England. It's a bit odd, because all the band members were quite young at this point. And in real life today, they'd be in their 60s! Steve Hackett and Peter Gabriel actually turned 65 recently. Happy birthday, Steve and Peter!_

_All band members look like they did between 1970-75, so they are 20-25 years old. They are all aware of what happened to their band since then, so they know that Gabriel left in 1975, Hackett left in 1977 and Collins left in 1996- leaving the band on a hiatus since then. Obviously, since there were tensions in the band since its beginning, they will be arguing and yelling at each other, but they all live together in one house and it's very much like they are students sharing a flat._

* * *

**_Characters are thus:_**

_**Peter Gabriel:**_ The lead singer of Genesis from its beginning in 1967-75. In real life, Pete is a very much reserved, laidback man, yet on stage he was completely wild, wearing many outreageous costumes in different songs. Here, his personality is based on his stage persona, and so he is very loud, outgoing and happy. He has had an extremely successful solo career, with albums like _"So" _and _"Melt" _going worldwide. Here, he is the boss- like he was in real life- and loves to flounce around in his outfits. He gets on quite well with Collins and often argues with Banks, like he also did in real life.

_**Steve Hackett:**_ The lead guitarist of the band and the eldest member, beating Gabriel by a day. He is a very skilled guitarist and his best solo has got to be in the song: _"Firth of Fifth"_ in the album, _"Selling England By The Pound"_. Here, he is the main butt of everyone's jokes. This is because there were many tensions among him and the other three band members when he left in 1977, as he felt creatively stifled by them and couldn't work in that environment anymore. In _KOP!_, these tensions are high and poor Steve is not allowed to forget what happened. He is close to Collins in this story and in real life, I think he was close to Collins as well- as both joined the band around the same time and wrote the song _"For Absent Friends"_ together as a sort of welcome song into the band.

_**Mike Rutherford:** _A very laid back sort of man and the second guitarist and bass player in the band. In real life, he and Tony Banks were always around one another, and they were the last two founding members- and the only members- left when Genesis disbanded in 1996. They worked together on _"Calling All Stations"_ in 1996, but their duo lasted for two years. He is also known for being in_ "Mike + The Mechanics"_ in the 1980s as a side-career to Genesis, and this solo career was very popular. In _KOP!_, he is a laid back type of chap, always with Banks and loves to mess around with Collins. He likes to piss off Steve and acts as a clamping agent in the band, though he can be stiff and arrogant of his success.

_**Tony Banks: **_The main keyboardist and the drive and heart of Genesis: AKA: _'Mr Genesis'_. He is the quietest band member, hardly ever smiles, and is always around Rutherford. He likes to accompany someone else with Rutherford when it comes to music, and isn't one for centre stage like Gabriel and Collins are. When he does smile, it means a lot, and he is a very stiff, arrogant type of man- envious of Hackett and the others for all having successful solo careers while his wasn't as successful. He gets on well with Collins and Rutherford and acts as a protector towards them both, particularly Collins.

_**Phil Collins**_: The baby of the band, and the youngest. When he entered the band in 1970, he was the only skilled musician among them, as his career on the drums was his literal job to earn money. He went to drama school, and came from a more relaxed background than the others- so when arguments were high: especially between Gabriel and Banks, he was always worried it was his fault, and didn't understand what was going on. Thus here, he is the innocent one and loves to cling to Banks, Rutherford and particularly Hackett. He is very laid back due to his creative background compared to the others' private school ones, and is able to make everyone laugh with his sense of humour. In real life, he has been dubbed _'the most hated man in rock'_ for when he took Genesis to a new level after 1975, making them more commercially successful with pop songs that made many hard core prog fans dislike him. He is a very skilled drummer and singer with a extremely successful solo career- equivalent to that of Gabriel's-, featuring on film soundtracks like _Tarzan_ and_ Brother Bear_ in the 1990s and 2000s. Between Genesis and solo work, he has sold over 200 million albums worldwide.

_**Tony Banks**_\- born 27th March 1950- aged 64.

_**Peter Gabriel**_\- born 13th February 1950- aged 65.

_**Steve Hackett**_\- born 12th February 1950- aged 65.

_**Mike Rutherford-**_ born 2nd October 1950- aged 64.

_**Phil Collins**_\- born 30th January 1951- aged 64.

_**Genesis joined forces/founded:**_ Easter 1967.

_**Steve Hackett joined:**_ January 1971, left June 1977.

_**Ph****il Collins joined:**_ August 1970, left March 1996.

_**Peter Gabriel left:**_ August 1975

* * *

"ALRIGHT! EVERYONE, GET UP BEFORE I MAKE A KNUCKLE SANDWHICH OUT OF YOUR HEADS!'

Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford both precisely shot up out of bed at the same as each other, hair wild and eyes wide.

"What on earth?!" Rutherford sighed. "Not this again?!"

The door flung open, revealing a tall, wide eyed, man clutching at his fox mask. "BANKS! RUTHERFORD! DID YOU BREAK MY FOX MASK AGAIN?!"

"Bloody hell, Gabriel!" Banks snapped. "We did not break your bloody fox mask! Ask Hackett!"

Gabriel stormed out of the room.

"HACKETT! HACKETT!"

Steve Hackett was buried under his pillow, brown hair tousled in sleep.

Gabriel barged in. He turned on the light and Hackett screamed.

"HOLY MOTHER OF HELL!" Hackett screeched. "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT?!"

Gabriel slammed down the mask. "My fox mask!" he wailed. "Did you break it?"

"No! I was here in my room!"

By this time, Banks and Rutherford had crawled out of their beds and were crowded round the door, tittering and giggling.

"Then who broke it?"

"Maybe Phil broke it! Ever think of that before barging into my room uninvited?!" Hackett flung a pillow at the door. "Go away! I want my sleep!"

Gabriel's eyes widened and he barged out of the room.

Phil Collins, the baby in the Genesis group, was snoring loudly in his sleep, drool pooling out of his mouth as he dreamed peacefully. He was so absorbed in his sleep that he didn't notice the door slam open and his body being shaken by an angry pair of hands.

"Phil! Phil!"

Collins waved the intruder away. "Five more minutes, Pete..."

"Did you break my mask?"

"Wha'?"

"My fox mask. For the _Musical Box_ song."

"No... You did."

Gabriel's eyes widened. "How?" he gasped.

"You threw it out the window last night..." Phil slurred in his sleep. "You lost a bet with Banks and threw it at him. He ducked. Wooossshh!" He makes motions with his hands in the air. They fall back onto bed with a thump. "Bye, bye, foxy!"

Banks and Rutherford collapse in laughter by the door where they are watching. Gabriel goes bright red and turns on them.

"Shut the hell up, you wankers!"

Hackett walks past, wearing a black dressing gown and holding a cup of water. He yawns as he walks past and shakes his head at the sight of Collins passed out on his bed, Gabriel yelling profanities and Banks and Rutherford pissing themselves laughing on the floor.

He checks his watch. 7:59 on a Saturday morning.

"Tossers..." he sighs.

* * *

That morning, the group sit around their_ 'meeting table'_. Gabriel stands up at the front and strikes a marching pose. "Right, you beautiful lot of tossers-"

"Charming..." Rutherford comments.

"We're going out shopping!"

Hackett, who's sleeping with his head on the table, raises a hand.

Gabriel points to him. "Steve!"

"Why do we have to shop? I went shopping two days ago."

"Because we're going on tour soon and I want to make sure there is enough food."

Banks raises a hand.

"Banks!"

"You have to be kidding right?"

"Yeah... We're going to actually go out to the park."

"WHAT?!" the others shot up, even sleepy Hackett.

"YOU MEAN THAT YOU WOKE US UP FOR NOTHING!?" Banks yelled.

"I wanted a lie in this morning!" Hackett moaned.

"So did I!" Rutherford yelled.

"Can I eat now?" Collins raises a hand.

"Oh come on, you sorry lot! You need to get out more!" Gabriel scoffed. "You guys are my friends, I want to spend time with you!"

"Peter, we do not have to be woken up at 8:00 in the morning to go out to a fucking park!" Rutherford sighed.

"Yeah, we could just watch a movie or something?" Banks suggested.

"Can I eat now?" Collins asked.

"Why not practice our music?" Hackett yawned. "Or even better, go back to bed?"

Gabriel raises up his hands. "Fine! We'll go out later! Let's snuggle on the sofa and watch _Jeremy Kyle_ instead."

"_The One Show_," Banks pipes up.

"_Top Gear_. I was on that once," Rutherford says.

"_BBC1_," Hackett yawns.

"Can I eat now?" Collins asks.

"Fine. Let's watch whatever's on!" Gabriel grabs Rutherford by the arm and pulls him out of the room. "Let's go, chaps!"

Tony leaves with them and Steve looks down at Collins, who is sat there deflated at the table. He puts a hand on the younger man's shoulder. "What's wrong, Phil?" he asks, concerned.

Collins looks up. "Can I eat now, Steve?"

"Yeah, go ahead."

* * *

"_What are these dogs doing sniffin' at my feet? They're up to something! Pickin' up, pickin' up, this heat!_" Gabriel sings as he lands onto the sofa.

Banks rolls his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, we get that your solo careers made millions. Don't rub it in." He lands on the sofa beside Rutherford, who grins.

"Oh, come on, Tony!" Rutherford smiles. "Your music was great! Just..."

"Not popular like yours, I get it..."

"Oh, Banks..." Rutherford wraps an arm around the older man's shoulders. "I love your stuff! Gabriel does too! Don't you, Pete?"

He gives a glare to the other man, and Gabriel shakes his head. "Yeah, yeah, I love it too, Tony!"

"Liar."

Collins comes in and laughs. "Tony! Your music is great, considering that you're the main lyricist in the group!"

"Hey!" Hackett comes in behind. "What about mine?"

"Your music is great too, Steve!"

Hackett coughs into his hand: "_Wind and Wuthering: 1977_."

"What was that?" Rutherford glares his way.

"Nothing, Mike!" Hackett grins.

"Hmmm..."

"Anyway, let's watch TV!" Gabriel hollers and grabs the remote. "Snuggle up, Mike!"

"Why would I snuggle with you?" Rutherford raises an eyebrow, but he shuffles down next to Banks and grins. "Anyway, what's on?"

Collins sits down in front of the sofa on the floor and Hackett stands behind it, leaning forward as Gabriel flickers through the channels.

"_CBBC_!" Collins yells, a fist in the air.

"_Top Gear_!" Hackett interjects.

"_The news_!" Banks cheers.

"No, _Cowboy Builders_!" Rutherford shouts.

"Alright! As the leader of this band, I shall choose what we watch!" Gabriel screeches over the banter of noise.

"Hell, no!" Collins stands up. "You left the band in 1975 and I became the leader! I should choose!"

"Oh, we're going there are we, Collins?" Gabriel stands up and glares down at the smaller and younger man. "That's your card?"

"Maybe we should pull straws..." Hackett suggests.

"No, let's go from oldest to youngest. The oldest goes first."

"HA!" Gabriel cheers. "That's me! 13th February 1950! Oh yeah!"

"Um, actually, you're the second oldest, Gabriel..." Banks frowns.

Gabriel stops cheering, frowning. "Who else could be the oldest?"

Rutherford and Banks look at each other. Then back at the group singer. "Steve," they say in unison.

Gabriel looks to Hackett, who is grinning. "12th February 1950..." he states. "Sorry, Pete, but I'm the oldest and I will choose this time. You're next, then Banks, then Rutherford, then Collins."

He takes the controls and falls back into the sofa, changing the channel with a satisfied sigh.

"Ah... _Top Gear_!" He looks up at Gabriel, who is fuming, Banks on the sofa, who looks serious- as always- Rutherford, who's sniggering, Collins, who is smiling. "Sit down, chaps! It's just about to start!"

Gabriel slumps down onto the sofa, defeated.

"Ah, come on, Pete!" Rutherford laughs. "After all,"

He, Collins, Banks and Hackett lean in close and sing out loud:

_"Don't give up!_  
_Cause you have friends!_  
_Don't give up!_  
_You're not beaten yet!"_

"You can have your turn: _Tonight, tonight, tonight! Ooooohhhhh!_" Collins sings out loud.

Hackett leans over to high five Rutherford and Banks, all laughing. "Good one, Phil!" the guitarist laughs.

"They don't call me the theatrical one for nothing! I went to drama school!" Collins grins proudly.

"I hate you all..." Gabriel sighs.


	2. The Police Are Following Us, Guys!

"Okay, you're going the wrong way!" Banks shrieked, clutching on for dear life to his car seat.

"Shut up, I'm trying as best as I can!" Rutherford snapped back next to him, his long brown hair covering his face as he clutched the steering wheel in front of him.

"I think I'm going to be sick!" moaned Gabriel, leaning back against his seat

"Maybe you should let me drive?" Hackett suggested as Collins clung onto him from the back of the van where the two were huddled next to Gabriel.

"Shut up, Steve!" Rutherford yelled. "You're distracting me!"

"I don't wanna die!" Collins wept into Hackett's clothes. "Steve, make them stop!"

"You're making Phil cry!" Steve yelled back. "Mike, stop!"

"Are you there, God? It's me, Peter..." Gabriel prayed. "Please kill Mike so that he will stop the van. Amen."

"Fuck off, Pete!"

"Gladly!"

Then Phil looked up out of the window and looked up at Steve with fear.

"Guys, the police are following you and that means they're following me... Will we get arrested?"

Mike slammed down on the brakes: Gabriel lurched forward, Steve followed by Phil. Groans of pain filled the van.

"Oooohhhh..." Gabriel moaned. "My stomach..."

"I'm going to faint..." Steve groaned.

"No!" Phil shook the older man, eyes widened in fear. "Mike, Steve's gonna die!"

"I'm okay, Phil..." Steve patted him on the back, sitting up. "I'm okay."

"Mike, you wanker!" Gabriel cursed. "What the hell?!"

"Hey, shut up!" Rutherford spat back, turning round to face Gabriel, his eyes narrowed. "You guys are jackasses, you don't hear Banks complaining!"

Silence filled the van.

"Tony?"

A groan of pain was heard.

Tony Banks had been thrown against the window, with his face comically squished up against the glass pane.

"Tony!" Phil cried. "Mike, help him!"

"Why?" Hackett said. "He doesn't look ugly anymore."

"Hey!" Mike whirled around again. "Shut up and take a picture. It'll last longer than your time in the band ever did!"

"Already doing so," Hackett had ignored the last comment and was holding up a camera. "Say cheese, Tony!"

"Urrg errfff, Seeve!" Tony's voice was muffled against the screen.

"Steve, stop it!" Phil was crying. "Mike, stop being mean!"

The camera flashed and Hackett smiled.

Mike frowned, turned around, leaned forward and gently pulled Tony away from the screen. His skin made a 'plop' sound as his face was peeled away from the glass.

"Tony, are you okay?" Gabriel's face was concerned and he leaned forward to look over the car seat to assess any damage.

"Y-yeah, just fine and fucking dandy, Pete..."

"Ah, well at least Tony's personality hasn't changed..." Hackett grinned. "And I was hoping for a miraculous metamorphosis as his brains were smashed against the screen. Guess I was asking for too much there."

"SHUT UP, STEVE!" the other band members yelled.

Collins had his face in his hands. "This is my fault!"

"Why, Phil?" Gabriel asked.

"Why you all argue, right? Why in 1975 you left Pete? Steve in 1977? All my fault!"

"No, no, Phil!" Mike leaned over to grab his arm. "No!"

"He's right, Phil. It's not," Steve nodded. "Don't ever think that."

"I'm sorry, Steve!" Phil had lifted up his head to look at the others. "You deserved better treatment from us!"

"Phil, it's okay..." Gabriel had a hand on his back. "Just calm down and take deep breaths. Okay? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. That's it. 6. 7. 8..."

"We all fucked up, Phil," Rutherford sighed. "But you did great. You made Genesis more popular than ever!"

"I'm the 'Most Hated Man in Rock'! Mike, I ruined us!"

"No, Phil!" Tony was sat up now and leaning over the passenger seat like Mike was with the driver's seat. "Us three took Genesis to pop. Not just you."

"It's Steve's 'Genesis Revisited' music that's gaining the attention!"

"Which I struggle to see why..." Rutherford sighed.

"Hey!" Hackett interjected. "Listen, Phil, why don't we all go outside and take a walk, eh? Get an Ice cream and feed the ducks!"

"What is he, five?" Banks sneered.

"I've got a Frisbee!" Gabriel smiled. "Phil, let's all play Frisbee!"

"How'd that sound, Phil?" Mike gently asked.

Phil nodded his hand, sniffling as he looked to the floor. "Okay.. Okay..."

A knock on the window interrupted them. They looked up.

A policeman was stood there, holding a notepad and pen. He did not look happy.

"Oh shit..." Mike cursed.


	3. Trying To Get Along (And Failing)

"Throw to me! To me!" Gabriel yelled, throwing up his arms excitedly.

They were in the park, throwing Peter's frisbee around. After Mike had spoken to the policeman and had taken the ticket and fine, though reluctantly, for speeding, the five band members had settled near a tree to eat their packed picnic. However, before they ate, they decided to play a game of frisbee first. Scattered around the area like a crudely drawn square, the other members (apart from Rutherford, who was holding the frisbee) were jumping around to try to get a good place to catch it- though Banks was reluctant to join in...

"Mike, you know you love me!" Gabriel yelled. "Come on! To me!"

"Begging for it won't make me give you it, Pete!" Mike yelled back against the wind.

"Come on! Please!"

"Go on then! Go long!" Mike threw the plastic toy at Pete like he were a dog, and Peter ran to catch it. He jumped up into the air with his long legs and caught it gracefully in his long arms.

"Good catch, Pete!" Banks yelled from where he'd retreated to the tree at the sidelines. "Good show!"

Pete threw it back to Mike, who caught it easily with his own tall frame. As he was the tallest member, it wasn't hard for him to. He looked around and saw Phil with his head bowed, reluctantly standing at the sidelines. Mike frowned.

"Phil! I'll throw it to you! Catch it, okay? Here!"

He threw the frisbee at Phil, but the latter didn't catch it. He sighed and ran over to the youngest member, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Phil? It's okay, you're okay, man."

"I don't want to play, Mike. I'll ruin it for you all."

"Oh, Phil... Tony!" Mike's eyes widened as the drummer pulled away and ran off. "Tony! Steve! Pete! Shit!"

"I'll get him," Steve calmly ran to the rescue and caught up with Phil as he sat near a bench.

"Steve, I suck, right?"

"Honestly, Phil, I think we all suck. Especially Tony."

"Why do we all fight? Pete and Tony especially?"

"Because we can't suck in our own shit and get on with the job. Phil, I'm sorry that I left in '77, but I really couldn't stay. I felt repressed and creatively stifled by you and Mike and Tony. Listen..."

He leaned in close to the drummer and grinned. "Why don't I cheer you up later when we get home? Eh? We can piss off someone."

"How?" Phil wiped his eyes with his sleeve. "And who?"

"That's for me to know, and Banks to find out!"

"Please don't fight, Steve! I don't want to choose between you and Mike and Tony!"

"I made that decision for you when I left, but I'll be gentle, I promise. Can we go back and play frisbee now, Phil? I'll throw it to you when I get it!"

"Can we ever make it right again, Steve?"

"I'll be honest with you: probably never."

"We can try though, right?"

"If you want to, Phil."

"You're all my friends. Can we simply just be nice to each other for once?"

"With Tony and Mike? Me? Well, I'll try, but I really can't stand Tony's bullshit, you know."

"I know. I appreciate the effort, Steve, I do."

"I know you do, Phil."

Steve stood up. "Let's go!"

* * *

"Nice sandwiches," Mike commented cheerfully. "Who made them?"

"Tesco," Pete replied, picking up a sausage roll.

"Oh." Mike frowned and helped himself to a handful of crisps. "Well, nice picnic, everyone!"

"Indeed," Banks gave a small, rare smile and took a handful of grapes. "Mike, pass us the coleslaw, would you?"

"Oooh, Mike, you're so good at passing the coleslaw!" Steve mimicked. "Banks is smiling at you, he rarely smiles! What did you do to make him smile?"

"He told you to fuck off, that's what he did!" Banks growled. "Lay off Mike!"

"Possessive, aren't we?" Pete smirked, and leaned forward to pick up a can of beer. "We all know you're each other's soul mate and everything, but the possessiveness is too freaky!"

"I have a wife and children!" Banks snarled. "We both do!"

"We all do," Pete replied dryly. "What's your point?"

"Mike is my close friend, as are you, Peter Gabriel! So shut it before I do something that all of us will regret!"

Phil's lip wobbled. "Mike, Tony, Steve, Pete = jackasses!" he cried. "Am I the only sane one here?!"

"Correct," Steve replied.

"Oh, I hate all of you!" Phil yelled. "You're all so stupid and silly, you bastards! Steve, you promised you'd stop fighting with them! Liar!"

He got up and stormed off.

"Oh..." Steve sighed. "Crap."

"Indeed. Crap," Gabriel was shocked at peaceful Phil's outburst.

"Correct," Mike face-palmed.

"We're all assholes, that's what we can all agree on for once in our lives, right?"

"Indeed," the others replied.


	4. Everybody Loves A Bit Of Bromance!

"Mike, you know what time it is?"

"No, what time is it?"

"It's one 'o clock and it's time for lunch! Dum de dum de dum! When the sun beats down and I lay on the bench, I can always hear them talk!"

"Yes, Peter..."

Tony came back down the park path, holding Phil by the arm with a hand. "Found him."

"Where was he?" Mike asked.

"By the duck pond talking to ducks."

"Where's Steve?"

"GOD DAMNIT!" Steve's angry voice could be heard near a tree. A few moments later, Steve came running out, being followed by a large, angry looking Pitbull. "WHY DOES THIS ALWAYS HAPPEN TO ME?! WHAT AM I, THE COMIC-RELIEF CHARACTER OF THIS TWSTED STORY?!"

"There's Steve," Tony replied, frowning.

Peter leapt into action. "I'll save you, Hackett!" he yelled. Running towards the dog, he started to growl at it. "Grrr! Get away from my guitarist, you mutt!"

The others watched as the dog turned, growled at Peter, and leapt off after him instead.

"Err, guys! Help me please!" Pete's eyes widened and he started running off towards the water fountain.

"What should we do?" Mike asked.

"Sit back and enjoy the show," Tony replied.

"Get 'im, Steve!" Phil suddenly yelled. "Get away from my buddy, you meanie!"

Phil leapt after the dog and jumped at it, grabbing its tail. The dog yelped in surprise and started to turn around to try to bite Phil. Pete took the opportunity to back away and the dog saw him and started to run after him again, Phil clinging on for dear life onto his tail.

"MIKKKKKEEEEEEEE! TOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNYYYYYYYY!" Collins screamed. "HEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLPPPPPPP!"

"Help me!" Pete screeched as he continued to run towards the fountain. "HELP!"

Pete landed into the water fountain with a splash and tried to climb to the top of it, but fell off and tried again. The dog stopped as it reached the fountain and Phil was sent flying forward into the fountain as well. Steve took the opportunity to grab a stick and began to charge towards the angry dog, but the dog saw him and started to chase him again. Steve was not deterred, however, and pounced on the animal, pushing it's face down into the ground to prevent it from biting him.

He pushed the stick into the dog's open mouth and grabbed hold of its collar to stop it from escaping. As he did so, a flustered man came running up and shook his head.

"I am so sorry!" he exclaimed. "Did my dog hurt you gentlemen?"

Tony looked over at Phil and Peter in the fountain, who were sopping wet and wailing. Phil's arm was bent and covered in blood. Pete had a gash on his forehead that was bleeding.

"Phil!" Mike exclaimed and ran over to look at his arm. "My God, his arm's broken!"

"Yes," Tony growled, folding his arms across his chest and frowning, "your dog did hurt my friends."

"You should put that animal down!" Steve exclaimed as the man took the dog away and attached a leash to its collar. "My friends have been hurt, who knows what else may have happened to them if I hadn't stopped it!"

"Mike!" Phil was wailing. "My arm hurts! It hurts!"

"Oh shit!" Mike gasped. "It's really bad, Tony!"

"We'll have to take him to hospital!" Pete panicked.

"Will I be able to play the drums again?!" Collins wailed. "Mike! It hurts!"

"Phil, deep breaths, okay?" Mike tried to calm him down. "We're gonna go to hospital, okay? We're gonna fix you up good."

Steve and Tony frowned at the man. "Sir, you will be sued for this," Hackett calmly told him.

"Please don't!" the man's eyes widened. "I can't afford to pay for this! I have a terminally ill child at home!"

"Why the hell do you have a dog like that around a child?!" Banks snarled. "It's a health hazard!"

"I'm sorry! I'll pay you money for the damages I've caused! I'll put the dog down even! I know he's a health risk, but he's never done this before. He must have been spooked!"

"Steve, what exactly happened with the dog?" Tony turned to ask him.

"Well, I was coming back from the pond when I found myself face to face with this dog. It suddenly sat there right in front of me. So, I tried to moved past it, but it started to growl at me whenever I tried, so I took a stick, threw it towards the side of me, and ran. The dog came thundering after me. That's what happened."

"Sir, we'll see you at court," Tony turned back to face the man.

"Now, Tony, if the man has a terminally ill child..." Steve started to say.

"How do you know that he isn't lying to just avoid paying up?" Tony cut back.

"Good point there. Let's take him to the police station nearby."

"Good idea."

Tony turned around to go and speak to Mike, and Steve stood guard by the dog and the man.

"We're going to take the man and the dog to the police station. Can you take Phil and Pete to hospital without killing them before they get there of their wounds?"

"Oh, ha, ha, ha, yes I can take them there without killing them! What are you going to do to the man?"

"Sue him." Tony leaned over to pat Phil comfortingly on the shoulder. "No one hurts our Phil without getting their asses kicked in return."

"Are you sure about that, Tony?"

"Mike, when have I never not been a serious person?"

"Good point."

"So, you take Phil and Pete to hospital, and Steve and I will go to the police station."

"Should we take Phil and Pete to the police station too? As evidence of what's happened?"

"I suppose. If we can get Phil to go there."

Mike turned to Phil, who was sobbing and clutching his arm. He placed a hand on his shoulder. "Come on, Phil," he said gently. "We're going to the police station and then we're off to hospital for you and Peter."

"About time, too!" Peter grumbled.

"I don't think I can get up," Phil was still sobbing. Mike leaned over and, with Tony's help, gently picked him up and placed him back onto dry land.

"Is Steve okay?" the drummer asked, shaking his head clean of water.

"Yes, he's okay," Mike replied. "Steady now, Phil."

"Come on, mate," Tony gave a rare smile. "Let's go to the police and then get you to hospital."

"WHAT ABOUT ME?!" Pete yelled, determined not be forgotten.

"Oh, Pete, when is it NOT about you and your glamorous solo career that made millions?!" Tony grumbled.

Mike leaned over to pat Tony on the back comfortingly. "I like your stuff, Tony, but now isn't the time-"

"Yeah, you two are SO not dating each other!" Pete sniggered.

"Keep talking like that and I'll leave you in the fountain!" Mike threatened.

"Can we?" Tony mumbled.

"No," Mike replied. "I'll help Phil, you go and get Peter."

"Yes, Tony, do what your boyfriend says..."

"SHUT UP!" Tony growled. "Pete, if you weren't my school best friend, then so help me God, I'll-"

"Fine!" Pete laughed and held out his hand. "Just help me out of here, would you?"

"You're lucky I am..."

"I love you too, Tony!"

"...Git."

* * *

"One of us needs to stay with Phil while the rest of us go home. Only one person can stay with him at the hospital, if he wants someone to, that is."

The G Gang were stood in the hall of the hospital ward, where down the hall and in a room, Phil was sat up in bed with an arm in a cast and a bowl of ice-cream in front of him.

"Better go ask him," Steve gestured to the room.

"Phil," Mike called to him as they walked into his private room, "only one of us can stay with you while you're here. Who do you want to do that?"

Phil shook his head. "I can't ask you to do that-"

"No, we insist."

"Okay... Steve!"

"Why am I not surprised?..." Tony rolled his eyes.

"He can play his guitar to me when I get bored, and his soft music can send me to sleep."

"Awww!" Pete gushed as Steve blushed with embarrassment. "That's so cute!"

Phil gave Steve a toothy grin.

"Someone take a picture!" Pete continued to gush. "Aww, look how Hackett's blushing!"

Tony grinned. "Well, this is interesting..."

"Oh shut it! You and Mike share a room! At least I have my own!" Hackett shot back.

"At least I have a friend who wants to share with me!"

"Yeah, who wants to be around the lovebirds..." Pete sighed.

"SHUT UP, PETER!"

"Well, if he's getting embarrassed, it must be the truth!" Hackett grinned.

Steve went over to Phil and patted his shoulder. "Sure, I'll stay with you, Phil. It'll be a boys' night, just the two of us!"

"Bring your guitar, Steve!" Phil grinned.

"Of course. What would I be without my guitar?"

"A man with no talent and a slightly effeminate hairdo..." Tony grumbled.

"I heard that, Banks. Besides, if there's anyone with an effeminate hairdo with all those curly locks, it's surely you." Steve smarted back.

"Tony, stop being a grouchy old man and let's go home," Mike glared down at his close friend and then walked over to Phil's beside to pat him on the shoulder. "Get well soon, mate. You'll be back home in no time."

"Thanks, Mike! I'd hug you, but I can't."

"Get Tony to hug him for you!" Pete sniggered. Tony punched him in the arm.

"Oi! Where's my hug, Pete?" Phil stuck out his lower lip and held out his good arm. "I want my hug!"

"Here's your hug!" Pete strolled over to the bedside and wrapped an arm around the younger man's frame. Then ruffled his hair. "I want my drummer to come back 'till he's well you hear me?"

"Gotcha, Pete!" Phil laughed back.

Tony hovered in the background. Steve noticed.

"Come on, Tony! Come say goodbye to Phil!"

Phil held out an arm again. "Tony! I want my hug from my favourite keyboard and piano player!"

Tony gave a small smile. He walked over to the bed and tentatively reached out to pat Phil on the shoulder. Then he wrapped an arm around his neck and pulled him close as best as he could as a _'hug'_.

"Get well soon, Phil. I'll miss you." He gave him a small smile and Phil grinned. "You can't not smile around me, Tony! You love me too much!"

Tony laughed and patted him on the other shoulder. "Too true, Phil."

Mike headed to the door. "We'd best get going." Tony and Pete joined him at the door and the latter two left first. Mike was about to leave when a cry of "Mike! "Wait!" stopped him.

He turned to see Phil holding out an arm again. "I want a hug! Pete and Tony gave me one!"

Mike chuckled, rolled his eyes and walked back to the bed. He wrapped an arm around him and hugged him like Tony had done.

"There you go, Phil."

"Thanks, Mike!"

"Actually, Phil," Steve interjected, "I'll go with them. So I can pack a night-bag and get my guitars."

"Okay, Steve. I don't mind waiting!" Phil had a constant smile on his face, it was hard to believe that he'd had his arm mauled by a dog that very morning.

"See ya, Phil!" Mike waved, dragging Steve with him out of the door.

"Bye guys, see ya soon!" Phil waved back. "Feel free to visit anytime. Really! Anytime!"

* * *

"There! All packed and ready to go!" Steve smiled, a suitcase in one hand and two guitar cases in the other.

Pete was leaning into the doorway of Hackett's room, arms folded and a smirk snaking across his face. "Ready for a boring night at the hospital, Steve?" he asked.

"Of course. Phil and I will be fine. If my little brother John calls asking for me, tell him..."

"That you're trying to stop Banks and I from killing each other."

"Of course," Steve repeated. "What else would I be doing here with you lot?"

Mike appeared at the doorway in his dressing gown and his long, hippie brown hair framed his face perfectly. As always, Tony had followed him and had taken to walking around the house shirtless with a pair of blue jeans. _"Very odd for reserved Banks..."_ Steve thought.

"Ah, there you are!" Pete grinned. "I thought that you and Tony would be gazing into each others' eyes forever!"

Mike and Tony exchanged a look and both rolled their eyes, scoffing.

"Yeah, and I thought that you would be gazing into Steve's forever," Banks scoffed.

"No, that's Phil's job," Mike grinned.

"Puh," Steve frowned, "as if, Mike. In your dreams."

"In my nightmares!" Pete laughed.

"Jealous? You fancy a slice of me, Gabriel?" Steve smirked. "Sorry, I don't play that way."

"None of us do!" Pete laughed even louder. "We all have wives and children and grandchildren!"

"It's all just bromance, really," Mike smiled. "Ain't that so, Tony?"

"Yeah, you and me forever, Mike," Tony replied, a small smile on his face. "I ship it madly."

"RutherBanks!" Pete snapped his fingers together as a light bulb hit him. "We'll call it RutherBanks!"

"Yeah, and you and Phil would be Philter, Steve and you wild be Gackett and Steve and Phil would be Stollins..." Banks murmured.

"Well, best not keep Phil waiting!" Steve cheerfully walked out of his room and headed downstairs towards the front door. "Try not to destroy the house while I'm gone: Pete!"

"What?! Why I am the one to most likely blow the house up?!"

"You know why." Steve closed the door. Then opened it again. "Tony, Mike, chain him up in his room."

"Sure, Steve. Tony, get the chains!" Mike grabbed hold of Pete by one arm. Tony by the other. "It's going to be just fine!"


	5. The Cage

"Mike! Tony! Let me out! Come on! Guys!"

THUD.

THUD.

THUD.

SMASH!

"He'll hurt himself by breaking something in there, you know," Banks stated dryly, watching the door move with his arms folded across his chest while frowning.

"Still, it's funny," Mike cheerfully commented back. "It's stopped you two from killing each other in your ego battles, at least."

"You and I have had plenty of _'ego battles'_ of ourselves down the years to counter the ones Pete and I have had, and you know it," Banks replied.

"Still, we haven't killed each other yet-"

SMASH.

"That's because we don't act like that with each other. We just storm out and sulk and then make up in the same evening."

"That's what real friends do, Tony."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"That's shocking."

"I'm not surprised..."

"Mike?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm glad we don't fight like that."

"Me too, Tony. Me too."

"That's why when Phil left in _'96_, you and I chose to continue together as Genesis. Until it fell apart two years later..."

"It wasn't our fault that happened, Tony. Genesis has just... come to its end."

"Still, the public today demand more."

"It's why Steve's _'Revisited Tours'_ are so popular, Tony."

SMASH.

"We should really let him out, Mike."

"...Fine."

Rutherford opened the door. Pete, with his legs chained to the wall, was lying on the floor with his arms flailing around while his room was a mess.

"You tossers!" he cried at the sight of them. "Why'd you lock me in my room like that?!"

"Steve told us to. You know why we do that, Pete." Mike was serious.

"Because when I fall asleep, I have crazy sleep-walking adventures," Pete repeated in a bored, monotone voice, as if he'd done it before.

"Last time, you emptied out the fridge, sprayed water into Phil's bedroom so much that he couldn't use it for two months and had to bunk with Steve while the damp was being fixed, and then you climbed up onto the roof and sprayed ketchup down the chimney," Mike frowned.

"I guess it really was just like your 1976 _'Blood on the Rooftops'_ song, though, right?" Pete gave Tony a check grin. It didn't work.

"Very funny," Mike folded his arms like Tony was doing.

"Phil thought it was funny," Peter shot back.

"No, he was terrified out of his wits," Tony counter-attacked his claim.

"Fine. Chain me up in here. In this cage. Sod off, then."

He leaned over and grabbed his flute, still lying upside down, and began to sing.

"In the Caaaaagggeeee! Get me out of this caaaaaaggggeeeee!"

Tony slammed the door shut.

* * *

"Heya, Phil!" Steve popped his head round the door of Phil's private room. "How are you feeling?"

"Good!" Phil beamed at the sight of him. "Even better now that you're here!"

"You're too kind, Phil," Steve sat down on the edge of Phil's bed. "I brought you some food. Hospital food is crap, so I didn't want you to starve while we're both here."

"Now you're the one who's being too kind, Steve," Phil grinned at him.

"At least you're happy." Steve opened his suitcase and handed him something wrapped in foil. "Here ya go, your favourite meal: a cheese, beans and spam sandwich. Still warm for you to eat, of course."

"Steve, you legend!" Phil grabbed the bundle and grinned. "YUMMY!"

"I don't know why you like it, but whatever... At least you're happy." Steve pulled out his sleeping bag and placed it on the cold, hard floor next to Phil's hospital bed.

"Oh, Steve, you can't sleep on the floor!" Phil cried in dismay. "That's not comfortable!"

"As long as I'm looking after you, Phil, I'll sleep on the floor."

"No! You can share my bed!" The immotally-young drummer protested.

"Phil, that's nice of you to offer, but: 1. The doctor said that you have to sleep upright while your arm is in that cast and sling and 2. There is not enough room for me to sleep in even if you weren't sleeping upright. It's too small."

"Can we get a mattress in then?" Phil leaned over to push on the alarm button.

A few moments later, the nurse came in. "Mr. Collins?" she asked.

"Can we have a single mattress brought in for my friend to sleep on? He has a sleeping-bag, but I don't want him sleeping on that hard floor."

"Of course, dearie." The nurse smiled at him and exited the room.

"Phil, that was very thoughtful of you, but I don't mind sleeping on the floor-" Steve began.

"Nonsense! You're here with me and I want YOU to be the comfortable one! I'm fine enough as it is!" Phil gave him a thumbs up with his good hand and Steve laughed.

Hackett pulled out his guitars: one rock, one acoustic. "Now, I know we can't plug a rock guitar in here, but my gut instinct was telling me to bring both in."

"Why?"

"Somehow, I think Peter's _'sleeping-walking adventures'_ tonight will lead to something bad happening to the house..."

"It's not like he's going to burn the house down, is it?"

"I don't know..." Steve shook his head. He pulled out some DVDs and showed them to the drummer. "I've brought _'Hot Fuzz'_, _'Shaun of the Dead'_, _'The World's End'_ and _'Paul'_ \- all comedies. Which one do you want to watch first?"

"The first film that came out, so _'Shaun of the Dead'_."

"Great! We can pretend that Mike, Pete and Tony are zombies, and you and I get to be the two heroes and bash their heads in!"

"Steve!"

"What? The cranky guy that Shaun and Ed live with who gets turned into a zombie is called Pete! It's perfect!"

"You're mean!"

"At least I'm being honest. Now. It's film time! I've brought popcorn!"

"Ooh! Which one?"

"Whichever one you want! I've got: Butter, salt or sweet."

"How were you able to fit all of that in one suitcase?!"

"I have my ways."

"Steve, you are a legend!" Phil laughed and motioned for him to move up on the bed. "Let's watch!"

* * *

Mike was sitting down at the TV when Tony came in with something in his hands.

"Tony?" Rutherford asked, looking up at him. "What's that?"

"I have no idea," Tony replied. "I found it on my bed."

Mike climbed to his feet to take a look and immediately recoiled in disgust. "Christ!" he exclaimed. "It's a dead bird!"

"URGHHH!" Banks dropped the animal and ran off to the bathroom.

"Why is there a dead animal on your bed?!" Mike wondered, alarmed.

"How should I know?!" Tony exclaimed, purging his hands with tonnes of soap. "I found it there; not put it there!"

"Unless..." Mike pondered. "PETER!"

He ran up the stairs. Tony rinsed off his hands thoroughly and ran up after him. Mike skidded to a halt in front of Peter's bedroom door and found to his horror that it was open.

He peered in, Tony behind him. The chains attached to the wall were open. So was the window.

Pete was gone.

* * *

_Author's Note:_ Phil really does like to eat bean, cheese and spam sandwiches in real life, you know! :-D


	6. Supper's Waiting For You

"Okay, if we're REALLY careful, we can climb up onto the roof and follow him."

"I'm not doing that. Do you want to break your neck and never play an instrument again?"

"Okay, then, _'Mr. Keyboard Player of the Century'_, what do you suggest we do?"

"I have no clue."

"Pete could hurt himself if we don't find him."

"Oh, come on, what's the worst that could-"

BANG!

"-happen?"

* * *

"You okay there, Phil?" Steve asked from where he lay on his sleep-bag-mattress.

"Yep!" Phil replied, grinning. "Just fine!"

"You're not tired?"

"No. Why do you -"

Phil yawned a great big yawn.

"You're tired." Hackett climbed out of his sleeping bag and went to grab a chair, so that he could perch closer to the drummer, and his acoustic guitar. He leaned over to pull up the covers as Phil, sitting up with his bandaged arm stuck out in front of him in a sling, snuggled down into his bed as best as he could.

"Shall I play you something on my guitar?"

"_'Horizons'_ from _'Foxtrot'_, Steve. I know you like it, and I like the way you play guitar. When Tony said your playing was stiff, I didn't think so."

"Cheers, Phil."

Settling into his famous guitar position - hunched over the guitar - Steve gently began to play, his soft guitar lulling those who heard it into a deep, pleasant slumber as it echoed down the dark, lonely, cavernous corridors of the hospital that were only travelled through frequently by monotonous and identically dressed nurses every now and then, like a repetitive scenario. To Phil, as he dozed away into a world of fountains, clouds, cages and rapids, Steve's guitar playing was the only grip on reality he could sense. And yet it was surreal, like a constant warmth beside your shoulder that provided a barrier between the worlds of consciousness reality and unknown, shadowy, uncertain and yet all-gripping surreality. The music was like a safety harness that would always protect you from falling, tumbling down, down, down, down and down into the dangerous depths of your mind. A lullaby that could only be fully demonstrated within the hands of those gifted to use it, only those who could fully grasp and understand and yet unconsciously worship and tender it at the same time. Something that needed to be nurtured and kept safe for it to truly bloom and harness its talents.

Steve was the one who could do that; he was the one who could bring reality into surreality, the constant hum of reassurance in a track behind Mike's bass guitar. The two worked to make a living being's breath- the guitar of the voice, and the bass's motor hums of the gargling in the breath at the back of your throat. This was why the five of them had something, that when done correctly, with the right moments and movements at JUST the right time, they could do things and reach places and limits that no one could ever else try to achieve in the exact same conditions. All bands could try, but they all had their own unique, distinctive sounds that made them THEM.

So Phil could understand why Steve had felt so alienated during his time in the band, particularly after Pete had left. The remaining four of them had all chosen to work together, but Steve had felt restrained by their choices on the songs chosen, and rightly so. That was why he had left, leaving another gap to be filled that could be filled, but yet couldn't quite be filled in the same way. Just like Pete, Steve had added something invaluable to the band's history, and Phil, Mike and Tony had taken those departures one by one and had adapted them into something that would fit just the three of them. And yet, not even now, could anyone ever forget, let alone try to forget, the impacts that individually each one of them had made on the band and on each other. They had all been friends who loved each other, and fought a lot too, but they needed each other. They'd all gone their own ways in their solo careers, Genesis having been the garden, the school and the centre where they had all flourished and had grown to be independent successfully in the world of music by themselves, but there was always a calling - a calling to come back to your roots, to your home, to what made you what you were and what you are. Genesis was that calling, and Steve's music now was calling Phil home, back to a world where men could turn to flowers in the seemingly sudden wink of an eye, where souls grew out of musical boxes, where giant hogweed roamed the fields of England, where King Cnut had failed to force the waves to stop at his feet, where snake women seduced you in pools of fragrance and water that heightened the senses and the skin, where you danced manically on a volcano as it erupted all around you, where ripples never came back after fading away into the depths of eternal water, and where finally, unquiet slumbers remained for the sleepers in that quiet earth as mouses scurried round houses while being chased by cats, and the Eleventh Earl of Mar failed to take back the English throne for the Stuarts from the Georgians.

It was this music, those voices of his past, that carried the eternal young youth home.

**_"I've been so far from here,_**

**_Far from your warm arms!_**  
**_It's good to feel you again!_**  
**_It's been a long long time..."_**

* * *

"GOTCHA!"

BANG.

"OW!"

Tony had hit Mike over the head with a frying pan.

"Sorry!" Tony dropped the pan. "You were tall; I mistook you for Peter."

"Do I look anything like him?"

"No, you look like an Afghan hound with that Afghan coat. Pete looks like a King Charles Spaniel."

"Oh, ha-ha!"

There was a scuttle coming from the right side of the kitchen. Then the mistakable sound of an oboe came floating into the two men's ears.

Mike slowly approached the kitchen cupboard and tentatively opened it.

Pete lay upside down, oboe in hand, as he gently played his cares away with a faraway expression carved onto his face.

"Alright, sunshine, show's over!" Mike grabbed him and pulled him up out of the cupboard.

"What shall we do with him?" Tony had a frown on his face and his arms were folded across his chest.

"We're going to give him a bath!"

"A what?!"

"A bath! A cold one. You know that _'Ice Bucket Challenge'_ that I nominated you, Pete and Phil for? Well, he's going to do it now!"

A small smirk sneaked across Tony's face.

* * *

"YOAWWWW!" Pete screamed as Mike threw water at him. "WHAT THE HELL?!"

"Hold still, sunshine!" Mike grinned as Tony turned on the shower hose. "It's _'Ice Bucket Shower Time'_!"

Rutherford dunked a bucket of ice cold water onto his head.

"Where did you get a bucket of ice cold water from at 2am in the bloody morning?! Jesus, that's cold!"

"I know people. Hold still."

Pete spluttered again as Tony sprayed cold water onto his head from the hose. "TONY! NOT COOL!"

"Cooled down yet, Pete?" Banks grinned. "Or do we need another round of _'Splat the Twat'_?"

"TONY!"

"Okay, he's cooled down," Mike laughed and Pete shuddered in the bath. "Get him a towel and some pyjamas."

"What is this, sadistic bonding time for you two?! What the hell?!"

"At least you're thinking straight now. I swear, Pete, if you try to escape again-"

"Something bad will happen, I get it. No more creepy midnight stalks = no more cold shower baths at 2am."

Mike grinned.

"What?" Gabriel's eyes widened.

"Oh, Pete! Whoever said that we'd stop your 2am cold shower baths?"

A sickening feeling washed over Pete. He scrambled to get out of the bath and ran out of the door and down the corridor, stark naked, to his room.

THUD!

SPLASH!

"TONY!" Pete wailed from inside his room. "I hate you! You bloody tosser! How could you do this to meeeeeee?!"

"Actually, I think that was a goodnight present from someone else, Pete..." Tony came out of the bedroom with a towel and pyjamas and stood next to Mike by the bathroom door. "And put some clothes on!"

Silence.

Then.

"HACKETT! I SO HATE YOU RIGHT NOW!"

Mike and Tony grinned at each other and high-fived one another.

Rutherford, Banks, Hackett vs Gabriel when sleepwalking: Ultimate victory, hilarious moments and epic laughs.

* * *

"Morning, Phil." The drummer sat up to see Hackett coming in with a cup of decaf coffee and a plain croissant. "How are you feeling?"

"Steve?" Phil looked around in confusion. "Did I snore last night?"

"Like a jackhammer," Steve airily replied. "The usual, Phil."

"Oh. Did you get any sleep?"

"After sleeping on the floor in a hospital with a man who snores like a jackhammer? Make an accurate conclusion from that hypothesis."

"No...?"

"Yeah."

"Sorry, Steve."

"No big deal, man. Hey, are you okay?"

Phil was sniffling and his eyes were filling up with tears. "S-sorry, m-man. I had a terrible dream that I was stuck in the rapids like Real had been. I saw your face in the water just like in the song, _'In The Rapids'_ from _'The Lamb...'_, so I went to dive in and I saw my own face instead. Just like in the song. Just like what I'd said once about there being a split personality in a live performance of the album. Then I turned and saw Pete dangling upside down in the air, and then he fell, and he landed and there was a horrible splash and a loud bang and then, then I closed my eyes and when I opened them everyone was dead!"

Hackett went to place a hand on his good shoulder, when Phil looked up at him, a smile on his face. "But then, I heard Pete call out to me, calling me home. I heard your guitar as I slept and I heard Pete sing to me - that supper was ready for me, like in _'Supper's Ready'_. All of you were there in a field of green, the sun on your face and you all looked so happy. And I thought that, that you would be better off without me..."

"But then you turned to greet me, you called me home. Pete and Tony were waving and smiling, and Mike was playing with a football, and it was so nice. I don't think I've ever felt so loved like that before. To have us all as friends together, doing what we loved and what we were good at. Together again after so long..."

Phil's eyes were shining. "I don't want us to ever be separated again. I loved being with you all in the 2014 documentary we did, even if you didn't like it. I love living with you all again, despite the arguments that Tony has with Pete and Mike. I love it, Steve, I truly do."

* * *

_**Author's Notes:**_

_**1.** _In a drawing I saw online, Pete was a King Charles Spaniel, Mike was an Afghan Hound, Steve was a Chinese Crested, Tony was a Poodle and Phil was a Yorkshire Terrier

_**2.**_ The visions and characters that Phil sees are all descriptions of parts of Genesis's albums and songs.

_**3.**_ The bold lyrics are part of _'Supper's Ready'_ from their 1972 album, _'Foxtrot'._

_**4.** _Mike Rutherford did this year participate in the _'Ice Bucket Challenge'_ and did nominate Tony, Pete and Phil to take part. Whether they did or not, I don't know.

_**5.** _The descriptions of Phil's nightmare are descriptions from the song, _'In The Rapids'_ in the 1974 concept album of '_The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway'_ \- Pete's last album as lead singer of the band before he left in 1975. Some descriptions are also from my imagination as well - like Pete hanging upside down, though he did spin around live on stage on a giant wheel on the song _'In The Cage' _in one live stage show...

_**6.**_ The 2014 documentary that Genesis did was called _'Sum of the Parts'_. It was the first time that all members had been in the same room as each other for 47 years. Steve didn't like it because it didn't mention his solo career while it mentioned everyone else's - yes, even Tony's! - and Mike agreed that it was unfair, and I think the others did too. Mike said that the group demanded changes after seeing the first edit to give him more screen time, but still, he got barely a mention. Steve feels that the R-Kive box set that was packaged along with the documentary does more justice. He said, _"The box set represents us all equally: the documentary does the opposite."_ He doesn't sell it via his website - I don't think the others do either.

_**7.** _The scene that Phil describes at the end of all five of them is what I imagined when listening to Peter Gabriel's classic _'In Your Eyes'_ song from 1986. I know it's a love song from a man to his ex-girlfriend, but what the hell. Bromance galore, everyone!

**_"In your eyes_**

**_The light the heat_**  
**_In your eyes_**  
**_I am complete_**  
**_In your eyes_**  
**_I see the doorway to a thousand churches_**  
**_In your eyes_**  
**_The resolution of all the fruitless searches_**  
**_In your eyes_**  
**_I see the light and the heat_**  
**_In your eyes_**  
**_Oh, I want to be that complete_**  
**_I want to touch the light_**  
**_The heat I see in your eyes."_**

It's this - the chorus - that makes me think of that scene; the members were complete with each other when they could make the music that no one else could strive to do, they could create something together that nobody could quite fully master...


	7. Welcome Home!

_Facts included in this chapter:_

_1971: ""The Knife" was usually performed as an encore. During one performance in June 1971, Peter Gabriel became so carried away at the end of the song that he jumped off the stage into the audience, breaking his ankle as a result." - Wikipedia_

_1974: Steve did break his hand crushing a glass. In Mike's autobiography, he says that Steve did it due to stress on what was going on in the band at the time, but Steve insists that it was an accident._

_1976: Mike's doubleneck guitar was so heavy that he fell off stage during rehearsals somewhere in the American Midwest. "...no one realised I was no longer there. I could have killed myself and they would have just carried on playing... But as I was lying there flat on my back, pinned to the floor, slightly concussed, I can remember thinking that it would have been nice to have been missed."_

_1977: Mike fainted onstage due to severe food poisoning in Brazil on tour. "I thought if I had a show to do, I would do it, even if I fainted in the process. Which I did. Naturally, the band played on. In the end the only solution was to get a doctor to sit at the side of the stage with a couple of syringes, and every so often during the set he'd haul me off and jab me in the backside, which is how I discovered I was allergic to the anti-nausea drug Maxolon.(The problem was that it was like a mega-dose of speed: I couldn't stand still and played double time so the band couldn't keep up.)"_

_"Kitty-Phil": Phil's nickname in the Genesis fandom on Tumblr is Kitty-Phil because of the way he cuddles up to his bandmates. Steve's nickname is "Wolf-Steve", probably due to the release of his recent album "Wolflight" where he hangs out with Wolves and wolf puppies..._

* * *

_2 days later..._

"Steve, how's Phil?"

Steve held the phone to his ear.

"I think we can go today, Tony. The doctor said that Phil could go today, but he'll have to keep his arm in a sling for at least 3 months."

"Is he okay?"

"Quite cheerful, Tony. But I think he's a bit unsettled."

"Well, you know Phil. He's been through a lot in the past two days."

"How's Pete?" Steve asked.

"We gave him an ice cold shower last night."

"Again?"

"Yes, he needed it."

"Well, I'll let you know when and if we can come home."

"Alright, Steve, Mike'll give you a lift. Just say when."

"Got it. Cheers, Tony."

Steve hung up the phone and went back into the hospital room that Phil was currently sleeping in. His jackhammer snores reverberated around the room. Steve simply grabbed a book and began to read as his friend slept.

* * *

"Mike, where's the butter?"

"In the fridge."

Tony went to open the fridge when Pete slumped in, yawning. "Mike, what time is it?" He asked.

"Not 1 o'clock and not time for lunch, if that's what you're wondering." Mike replied, drinking his tea. He put the cup down. "It's 9:30."

"Is Phil coming home soon?"

"Steve says that the doctor thinks Phil can possibly go home today. His arm will need to be in a sling for a while. 3 months maybe." Tony closed the fridge and placed the butter on the table. "So no more sleeping walking, Pete." He glared at him from across the table.

"But Tony-" Gabriel began.

"No." Banks replied.

"So, who's picking them up?" Mike asked, spreading jam onto his slice of toast.

"I told Steve you would," Tony replied. "I hope you don't mind."

"I.e. 'You have no choice'," Mike responded. "Anyway, I thought you all hated my driving?"

"That's because you drive too fast."

"What can I say, I enjoy fast cars!"

Pete placed a hand on the table in front of him. "How about I drive? Or I could be a passenger driver?"

"I don't see why not..." Mike said, picking up his toast and taking a large bite out of it.

"Whatever..." Tony sighed, shaking his head. "At least someone will pick them up."

* * *

"So I can go home?" Phil asked the doctor, shaking his legs in excitement.

"Yes, Mr. Collins."

"How soon can I play the drums again?" He asked eagerly.

"I'd give it a month or two after the sling is taken off. Don't rush it when you do start, though."

"He will be okay to play after that though, right?" Steve asked, frowning in concern.

"If he takes it steady, then yes, he should."

Phil's eyes brightened. He could go home!

"Now, we can take him down to the plaster department where we can put the cast on him. What colour would you like?"

"Red," Phil replied. Steve placed a hand on the handles of the wheelchair that Phil was sitting in. "Red, please."

He grinned up at Hackett and the latter gave a small smile as he pushed him out of the room.

* * *

With the new cast and sling on and with Phil's arm securely in place, the drummer was slowly taken back up to his hospital room.

"A few forms have to be signed, but I see no reason why he can't be discharged today," the doctor said. "It will take a while, but not long."

As the doctor left the room, Phil tried to get out of his wheelchair with his one good arm, shaking on his legs. Hackett frowned and immediately went to steady him, and helped him to stand up.

"This must remind you of the time you broke your hand after crushing a glass due to stress," Phil murmured as he clung to the guitarist's arm with his one good hand.

"A little," Steve replied. "It's a bit like when Pete jumped into the audience that one time, expecting the audience to catch him, but they didn't and he broke his ankle."

"Or when Mike fell off the stage in America during rehersals in 1976 and no one noticed."

Steve gave a small smile and helped the drummer over to the bed, where he tried to help him sit up on the bed.

"I hate feeling so helpless..." The drummer moaned. "I hate this."

"You did it trying to save me from that dog," the guitarist replied, "which I am extremely grateful for, Phil."

"I couldn't let you get mauled, could I?" Phil replied, grinning goofily.

"You're a hero, Phil," Steve laughed. "Just don't let it all go to your head."

* * *

"Phil!" Mike exclaimed in delight as Steve wheeled him out of the hospital doors. "Mate, how are you? Great cast, can I sign it?"

"Mike, I'd hug you, but I can't..."

Mike bounded over and wrapped an arm carefully around Phil's neck in greeting. He turned to Steve. "Here, mate, let me get those bags."

He took Steve and Phil's night bags and headed over to the car. Phil looked up at Steve as the latter pushed him down the street to the car. "Steve?"

"Yeah?"

Collins gave him a grin and reached up to put a hand on the hand on his wheelchair handle. "Thanks. For being here with me."

"No problem, Phil. No problem at all."

"Phil!" Pete exclaimed as well as the two came into sight of the car.

"Peter!" Phil grinned. "Mate! Great to see you!"

After getting Phil into the car, Steve took the wheelchair back into the hospital, and Mike stood by the car to speak to the drummer.

"How's Tony?" Phil asked.

"He's okay." Pete replied from the front passenger seat. "He's good."

Steve came back and clamoured in the back next to Phil and Mike climbed into the front seat of the car to drive.

"Okay!" Mike smiled. "Let's go, chaps!"

As the car slowly drove out of the hospital car park, Phil began to fall asleep, and the next thing he knew he was leaning against Steve's shoulder as his vision faded into blackness.

* * *

"Hey honey, I'm home!" Mike yelled into the house as he stepped through the front door.

Tony came out of the lounge and grinned at him. "What took you so long?"

"Ah, you know, mauling fans wouldn't leave us alone..."

"Why am I not surprised?" Tony smirked. His smile covered his whole face at the sight of Phil coming through the door, assisted by Peter. "Phil! How are you?"

"Tony!" Phil joyfully cried. He held out his good arm to him and Tony hugged him carefully in greeting. "Mate! I missed you like hell!"

"That means he didn't miss you," Pete laughed. "Who'd miss Hell?"

"It means he missed you at lot," Mike explained.

"I know he missed me, you dope," Tony replied, smiling as he pulled away from the drummer. "Come on, guys, I made dinner."

"Tony! I'm touched!" Pete exclaimed.

"Smells good, Tony, what is it?" Phil asked excitedly. "I'm starving!"

"You're always starving..." Tony shook his head in amusement. "It's roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, followed by pumpkin pie."

"Jesus, Tony, when did you manage to do all of that?!" Mike exclaimed.

"This morning. I bought the pie, but I did cook the main course. Come on guys, let's eat."

The four walked in and Pete helped Phil to sit down.

Steve came downstairs and started at the sight of the food. "Where the hell did this come from?! It smells divine!"

"Tony cooked it! Come on Steve, tuck in!" Peter grinned.

"Don't mind if I do!" Steve replied, sitting down next to Mike at the table. "It looks great, Tony!"

Banks smiled.

* * *

Sitting around on the sofa, the young men patted their fit-to-burst stomachs appreciatively.

"I'm fit to burst!" Peter groaned.

"Don't mention food, I feel like I'll be sick if I eat anymore," Tony moaned back.

"Hey guys, I think we have a miracle pregnancy over here," Mike grinned, patting Tony's now protruding round belly. Banks swatted at him lazily.

"Call God, he's got another son coming soon!" Pete chortled.

"Knock it off," Tony murmured sleepily. He yawned. "God, I want to sleep now."

Steve yawned. "So do I..."

"Aww, look at Phil, he's asleep already..." Pete cooed quietly at the snoring drummer.

"It's been a busy day for him, he must be knackered," Rutherford observed.

"Look at how he's curled up like a kitten..." Gabriel snickered.

"Kitty-Phil..." Banks yawned again.

"Poor fella..." Steve tousled the drummer's hair. "Poor sod with a busted arm. Reminds me of the time when I broke my hand due to crushing that glass."

"It was stress that did it," Mike replied.

"It was not," Steve retorted back.

"Whatever..."

An awkward silence fell over the group. The tensions of the past were always there... All the arguments and fights and chairs thrown angrily at each other and the slammed doors; they were always there, and they always came back...

Phil let out a little meow sound as he shuffled while sitting upright asleep. Then he clung to Steve's arm when the latter jumped and moved away.

"Did he just meow in his sleep?!" Steve asked, startled.

"I think he did!" Pete laughed.

"He's a cat, alright!" Mike chuckled.

"Kitty-Phil..." Tony smiled. Then yawned. "He's such a kitten..."


	8. More Fool Me

"This is horrible!" Phil wailed in frustration at he failed to eat his food with his eating utensils while sitting at the kitchen table. "Bollocks!"

"Here Phil, I'll help," Mike leaned over and took the utensils and proceeded to cut the drummer's food for him.

"I don't want you to help me! I want to do it myself!" Phil flung himself back onto his chair in anguish.

"I know, mate, but it won't be for long," Mike gently reassured him and he passed the plate back to him. Phil stabbed at a piece of ham with his fork disheartedly.

Tony walked into the room. "Morning," he simply said.

"Hm." Phil replied.

"Phil," Mike warned.

Collins looked up. "What?"

"Say hello to Tony. He said good morning to you."

"For fuck's sake, just because I'm the youngest doesn't mean that you can bloody patronise me!" Phil spat, slamming his good hand on the table and standing up and storming out.

"PHIL!" Tony yelled back. "DON'T YOU WALK AWAY FROM ME!"

"Piss off, Tony!" Phil yelled back. "Steve! Mate! We're off out!"

"Where, Phil? Where are you going with that coat?"

"To the fucking pub!"

"PHIL!" Mike called out. "Come on, mate. It's not that bad!"

"STEVE! Come on!" the sound of a slamming door could be heard and Steve came running out, dragging his coat with him.

"Phil, slow down! Christ!"

Pete came scrambling down the stairs. "Guys, stop fucking fighting!" He yelled, throwing his hands in the air.

"Peter, shut the fuck up!" Tony whirled on him. "Don't you get involved in this!"

"Tony, stop bitching and sit down!" Mike ordered.

"And you shut up too, Mike!"

SLAM!

Phil had stormed out.

"Fuck this, I'm out!" Peter angrily strolled out the door.

"That's it, ditch us like you did in 1974!" Tony yelled back at him as the door slammed for a second time.

"You're an ass, Tony," Mike hissed.

"And you're a dick, Mike," Tony spat back.

"I can't deal with this again," Mike moved to leave. "I'm out!"

"Out forever?" Tony shouted after him.

"I just might!" Rutherford slammed the door. "Screw you!"

Tony grabbed his coat and ran out after him, and all five members _(apart from Steve and Phil)_ went their seperate ways into town.

* * *

"Phil. Open the door. Please."

Back at home, Steve stood outside the drummer's bedroom door. After storming out into town, Phil had gone on a ballistic rampage; Steve knew he was a recovering alcoholic and so tried to keep him out of the bottle's way. Mercurial in his anger, Phil had suddenly declared that he was going to go home and Steve willingly followed.

Now Steve was trying to get the drummer out of his room.

"Phil. Please open the door."

"Why?" came his better reply. "So you can all laugh at me?"

"No one is laughing at you, Phil. We're worried."

"Because I'm a recovering alcoholic! My wife left me for the fucking decorator-painter in 1975! I wanted to kill myself! I hate everything!"

It was unlike calm, happy-go-lucky Phil to be like this. But everybody has their hidden scars...

"Phil, I know it hurts. I know how much it hurt when my second wife divorced me and sued me for some of our Genesis songs. I know how life hurts. Peter was depressed too at several points in his life, but like in his song he didn't give up. Don't give up on us either, Phil. It's not the same without you. You're the new boy with me, remember? 1970? 1971? Nursery Cryme? 1976? Wind and Wuthering? You can do this Phil. I know you can do it."

And Hackett turned round and walked down the stairs.

The door slowly unlocked.

"Steve..."

* * *

Hackett had been strumming on his acoustic guitar when Phil slowly and cautiously entered the room.

"Steve."

Hackett looked up.

"Can I - can I sit with you?"

"Sure."

The drummer sat down and listened in silence to the guitar playing.

"I'm sorry," he said when the song had finished.

"You have nothing to be sorry for," Steve replied, putting his guitar down.

"I do. I'm sorry I was so snappy at you. You don't deserve it." Phil sighed and ran his good hand through his hair.

"It's okay, man. I forgive you."

"Do you think the others will?"

"Sure of it."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"You're not just saying that to make me feel better?"

"Nope."

* * *

Tony and Mike were the last ones to arrive home. Peter had arrived a few hours before and had hugged Phil warmly when he saw him.

Tony's face could have set milk as far away as the USA sour. He did not look happy.

"Phil." Mike's tone was that of a tired traveller. "Are you okay now?"

"Yeah... I feel better. Thank you." Phil was never this withdrawn around Mike or Tony; he loved being with them.

Tony stormed into the kitchen.

"He'll need to calm down for a bit..." Mike sighed. "Let's just leave him to himself for a while."

* * *

Tony didn't leave his room for hours. Eventually, he came down while the others were gathered around the TV. He didn't say anything, he simply plonked down in the armchair opposite the door and folded his arms across his chest.

When the programme had finished, Mike turned the TV off.

"I'm sorry, Tony," Phil sighed. "I didn't mean to snap at you. I just felt angry that my arm was broken and I snapped at the first people I saw. I'm sorry to all of you. I understand if you give me a bollocking I'll never forget."

"I think I'll take up that offer," Tony sighed. "I'm sorry as well. Sorry, Phil. Sorry, Mike - I didn't mean to call you a dick. You're not. Pete, I'm sorry as well."

This was same old, same old. Tony would apologise but it wouldn't be long before he acted in the same way again. Peter and Mike had known him for longer, it was natural that they would be personally more affected by his behaviour. Phil was often left twiddling his drumsticks in boredom when they argued; he often wondered if it was his fault. Steve did as well. It hadn't been easy for either of them, but Phil loved Tony dearly. That bond that he, Mike and Tony had had when it was just the three of them in Genesis in 1978 had survived more than a lifetime's share of shit. He loved all of them. Every single one. The fact that the arguments affected them so reflected how close they were and how emotional it could get. Phil would never forget the moment when Mike had thrown a chair at Tony. It was plastic and bounced, and Tony had ducked out of the way, but it showed how stressful life could be, especially when you had such stormy and passionate people all vying for musical glory at the same time in the same band. It was emotionally crippling as well as physically damaging - long nights and early days can onlyq take so long before you've collapsed due to stress and fatigue...

* * *

"Everybody, let's go party!" Pete yelled.

"Oh, oh, oh, yeah!" Phil sung back at him.

"Come on, Tony, let's go party!" Pete shook his hips just as Tony walked into the room.

"Oh, oh, oh yes!" Phil sung again.

"No. You know I don't like parties..."

"You miserable bastard..." Phil laughed, putting a hand affectionately on Tony's arm as he sat down beside him.

"Yes, I am!" Tony smiled and laughed baked at the drummer; it was hard to be mad at Phil for long.

"Hallelujah, he admits it!" Peter cheered mockingly.

"Haha!" Tony sneered back at him.

"Steve! Want to go partying?" Pete grinned as Hackett came into the room.

"Sure. Why not?" Steve replied.

"I don't mind." Mike grinned as he ruffled Tony's hair playfully. "If _'Mr. Scrooge'_ wants to, that is!"

"I feel too tired, actually..." Banks sighed. "I might just go to bed..."

"We could all go to sleep!" Pete grinned. "Sleepover!"

"Yes, let's sleep in Tony's bed!" Phil snickered.

"No!" Tony rolled his eyes. "Fine. Let's watch something on TV."

"Boring!" Peter yawned. "let's go to the cinema or something?"

"Are you up to it, Phil?" Steve asked, motioning hesitantly to Phil's bandaged arm.

"Yeah! Let's do it!" Phil cheered. "I don't think I can party much with this arm anyway!"

"Great! What film?" Peter let to grab his laptop.

"Whichever has the most action, I guess?" Mike replied.

"Okay... _'Spectre'_?" Peter suggested. "It's on at 8pm nearby. We can have dinner and then go?"

"Fine by me." Phil's eyes were sparkling.

"Cool." Mike flexed his hands.

"I don't mind." Steve went into the kitchen to get a beer.

"Tony?" Peter looked up from the computer to give him a puppy-dog look. "Please?"

"Oh, ok, then!" Tony gave him a small smile. "I'm in."

"Great!" Peter closed his laptop screen. "I've booked the tickets! Come on guys! Let's go see our cinema show!"

* * *

_References:_

1\. Phil is a recovering alcoholic. He nearly died from it and wanted to commit suicide, but realised that he needed to be there for his children.

2\. Peter left the band briefly in 1974 amidst the tensions that were going on at the time to work on a film project that ended up not working out. When he came back, he wasn't greeted very nicely.

3\. Steve's second marriage ended in 2008. His wife, and before their marriage long-time partner, sued him fro some of the songs he wrote with Genesis. The divorce wasn't pleasant and left Steve in a deep depression. His 2009 album,_ "Out Of The Tunnel's Mouth"_ has the song_ "Fire On The Moon"_ based on how he felt.

3\. Mike likes action shows and movies, particularly CSI after living in America with Genesis on their 1980s tours.

4\. The 1973 song _"The Cinema Show"_ off the album _"Selling England By the Pound"_ is based around Romeo and Juliet.

_The lyrics, written by Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford, refer to Romeo and Juliet (named after the famous Shakespearian characters), who are separately readying themselves for their date at a cinema show with Romeo hoping for a sexual conquest that night. Banks recalled: "The idea of using two words, 'Romeo' and 'Juliet' actually was Peter (Gabriel)'s. I thought it should be more impersonal just using 'young clerk' or something, and I wasn't too sure about it to begin with."_

5\. When Steve first performed live with Genesis in December 1970, Phil was pissed out of his mind. After the show, Mike and Tony gave him a very fierce telling off, but Steve thought that they were having a go at him behind his back. He felt like an outsider amongst them even then.

6\. In a 1991 interview on Youtube - _"Genesis Rockline 1991 Interview"_ \- when asked what the three were going to do now that their interview had ended - at 5am where they were - Tony yelled loudly, "BED!" and Phil replied that they were all going to Tony's bed. "The band that sleeps together, plays together," the interviewer responded to that.


	9. Twister Is Torture!

_"Here comes the Supernatural Anaesthetist! If he wants you to snuff it all he has to do is, puff it! He's such a fine dancer!"_ Peter sang loudly down the corridor as he headed towards the stairs.

"Ah, morning Tony!" Peter greeted the other musician in the kitchen. "And how are you this fine morning? Cheers." Tony handed him a steaming mug of tea and the taller man took it gratefully.

"I'm good, thanks," Tony gave him a genuine smile and took a piece of toast quickly out of the toaster as it popped up. "How's your family?"

"I can't believe my Isaac is going to be 15 this year, and Luc will be 8! I'm only 66 and yet I'm a dad to a teen and a kid!"

"I know the feeling..." Tony replied, just as Mike and Phil entered the room.

"Morning guys!" Mike grinned. "Ready to go?"

"Go?" Peter frowned.

"Phil's getting his cast taken off today!" Mike raised an eyebrow. "How could you forget?"

"Yeah, Steve's waiting to go," Phil told them.

"Sorry..." Tony blushed with embarrassment. "I totally forgot."

"Yeah, so did I..." Peter mumbled. "Has anyone eaten breakfast yet?"

"Us three have," Mike said.

"We don't all need to go, right?" Peter asked.

"No, but I thought that we were all going?" Mike frowned.

"It's okay, chaps, Steve and Mike can take me, it's not big deal," Phil grinned.

"You sure?" Tony asked him. "Pete and I can get breakfast at a Starbucks on the way there."

"Nah, no need. Come on, Mike!" Phil turned and walked out the door. "This cast ain't gonna take itself off!"

* * *

"How does the arm feel?" the doctor asked Phil as the cast was removed.

Phil stretched his fingers slowly and found them to feel quite stiff and sore. "Ouch!" he exclaimed, as the muscles flexed after three months of lack of use.

"Take it steady. I suggest that you only write and use your hand and arm in brief moments. No over excursion, okay?

"Got it," Phil replied.

"Take good care of that arm, and I'm sure you'll be able to play in no time - just take it slow."

"We've got it: no playing for you yet, Phil," Steve spoke up.

"At least my arm is free to breathe now!" Phil grinned happily.

"That's it, think positively, and you'll be okay in no time at all!" the doctor smiled at him.

* * *

"Does it hurt?" Peter asked Phil as he and Tony inspected Phil's arm.

"Of course it does, ya daft loon!" Phil laughed.

"He has to use his hand and arm for only a small amount of time," Steve explained.

"Of course he does," Tony replied, "otherwise he'll ruin all of the healing that his arm would have had!"

"Well, duh!" Pete rolled his eyes.

"Good to have ya back, Phil!" Mike grinned, putting an arm around the smaller man's shoulders. "Good to have your arm all better, eh?"

"Yep!" Phil replied, flexing his fingers slowly. "It sure is!"

"Wanna go watch somethin' on TV, Phil?" Steve came in with his guitar cases and place them by the stairs. "Or play a game?"

"Oh, yeah, let's play a game!" Pete's eyes sparkled delightedly.

"What kind of game?" Tony asked.

"How about _'Snakes and Ladders'_? Or _'Monopoly'_?"

"Hmm..." Phil thought for a moment and an evil grin spread across his face. "_'Twister'_."

"_'Twister'_?" Mike spoke up.

"Yeah, I'll be the guy who spins the board, seeing as I have an injured arm, and you guys can actually play."

"I guess we could," Steve said.

"Yeah!" Peter exclaimed. "Let's do it!"

* * *

"Right hand on green!" Phil was sitting on the coach, grinning with delight as his bandmates tried their hardest to stay upright on the mat.

"Oh, bloody hell!" Mike cursed as he tried to stick his foot out as best as he could, what with his nose on red and his hand on yellow.

"Steve, you're kicking me!" Peter hissed as the just barely older man's left foot pushed into his face.

"Sorry, but I'm stuck!" Steve replied defensively. "Tony's hair's in my face!"

"Well, my arm's stuck under Mike's stomach!" Tony snapped back. "God, how can you play this twisted game?!"

"That's why it's called _'Twister'_, dumbass!" Peter winced as Steve's foot pushed against his nose.

"Hey, don't call me a dumbass you knit-wit!" Tony shot back.

"OW!" Mike yelped as Pete's body nearly knocked him face flat into the floor. "Watch it!"

"This is great!" Phil chirped innocently from where he was sitting happily on the couch, legs swinging cheerfully back and forth. "I'm having so much fun!"

"Can I kill him?" Tony hissed to Steve next to him.

"No, we'll all kill him," Steve replied, face strained with pain. "When he's sleeping or something..."

"I'm so going to pull a '_Julius Ceasar'_ on him!" Pete was no longer finding this game fun, which was odd, considering how much he liked to play games - especially the more extreme and challenging ones.

"'_E tu, Brute_?'" Mike mumbled incoherently from where his face was now planted into the floor.

"_'E tu, Mikay?'_" Steve chuckled.

"Very funny, Steve," Mike mumbled back.

"Right ear on blue!" Phil spoke up, and the lads groaned back in response.

"This is why you never let the innocent-looking one have full control of such infinite power of possessing the Twister board," Steve sighed.

"Fuck this, I can't do it!" Pete wailed as best as he could with Steve's foot still in his face.

Tony wobbled and fell to the floor, causing Steve to fall back onto Pete and causing Mike to turning onto his side.

"And you fail!" Phil called up gleefully. "Anyone wanna take the best out of 3?"

If looks could kill, Phil Collins would have been disintegrated within milliseconds as all four of his bandmates turned to glare murderously at him.

"Heheh, uh, guys?" Phil looked nervous as they stood up and approached him slowly. "Uhh, guys?"

"GET HIM!" Mike yelled, and Phil leaped from the couch and out of the house door in a second, his pissed-off friends giving quick chase as Phil wailed about not wanting his injured arm to be hurt.

* * *

Later that evening, Hackett, Gabriel, Banks and Rutherford all sat on the couch watching TV together, looking quite pleased with themselves.

Phil, meanwhile, was hanging upside down in the closet, arms hanging loosely as he swayed from side to side. His clothes were all muddy and dirty and his face had a big black eye on it.

"Uh, guys!" he called. "Is it too late to suggest a different game? Maybe _'Ludo'_?"

"He's not coming out for the rest of the movie," Mike spoke up, eyes still glued to the TV screen.

"You bet he isn't," Tony, with looking, dipped his arm into the popcorn bowl that Steve was holding.

"No fucking way," Pete sipped at his drink.

"Agreed," Steve added his opinion, taking some popcorn as well.

"No one fucks with us and gets away with it," Tony replied seriously. "Even if you're a band member."

"Obviously," Pete rolled his eyes, remembering when he had his shoes thrown up onto the roof of the house by Mike after he'd stapled his clothes to the garden wall a year or so ago.

"I love it when we have moments like this together," Tony grinned. "Just like one big happy family."

"GUYS!" Phil called out again, to no avail.

"Just a normal, happy family..." Tony repeated.

"You said it, Banks," Pete smiled, "You said it."

* * *

_I know it's been nearly a whole year since I last updated this story but I'm updating it now! Hooray! :-) Just in time for the holidays! Merry Christmas everyone!:_

_**1.** _The song that Peter's singing, _"The Supernatural Anaesthetist"_ is from their epic album, _"The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway"_ in 1974. Steve Hackett wrote it and it's got a really good beat to it.

_**2.**_ Peter Gabriel in real life is 66 and has two grown up daughters, who have children of their own, and two sons. Issac is 15 and Luc is 8.

**_3._** Phil Collins also has three adult children and two young sons. Nicholas is 15 and Matthew is 13.

_**4.**_ The other bandmates' children are all grown up.

_**5\. **'Twister'_ is absolute torture.


End file.
